During the Warriors' past month of seesawing performances, it has become commonplace to expect the unexpected.

But no one could have expected this.

After wobbling through his first 51 games with the Warriors, Marreese Speights was the most dominating player on the floor during his team's 123-80 romp over Philadelphia on Monday night.

Speights came into the game averaging 5.6 points on 31.8 percent shooting, but he needed only about 3 1/2 minutes of playing time to surpass his season average on his way to a career night that verged on the absurd.

The 6-foot-10, 255-pounder, who had scored double-digit points just eight times all season and had grabbed at least eight rebounds only four times, went for 32 points on 12-for-15 shooting with eight rebounds in 26 minutes.

"It was like being at a great rock concert," Warriors power forward David Lee said. "It was like being at some fantastic event: watching his barrage of interior and exterior (shots), the moves, the creativity."

It was an especially rewarding night for Speights, on whom the 76ers gave up three seasons after drafting him No. 16 overall in 2008 and who reportedly has the Warriors questioning their decision last offseason to sign him to a three-year deal worth almost $11 million.

The Warriors have been linked to a number of players who could bolster their bench and take Speights' minutes with the trade deadline looming Feb. 20, but he apparently isn't giving up his playing time easily.

Related Stories

With big men Andrew Bogut and Jermaine O'Neal sidelined by injuries, Speights poured in 20 points in his first 10:01 on the court. He made his first seven shots, including his eighth three-pointer of the season, and didn't miss until he attempted the heat check of all heat checks: a step-back 26-footer with six minutes left in the first half and the Warriors leading 47-29.

The Warriors, who did not trail and led by as many as 49 points, were ahead 60-33 with 1:52 remaining in the first half when Speights was subbed out with 22 points and five rebounds. He seemed to exhale a season's worth of frustrations and then breathe in his first standing ovation, from Oracle Arena's 63rd consecutive sellout crowd.

"I thought he was fabulous," Warriors head coach Mark Jackson said. "He's been working extremely hard. He waited for his opportunity and took full advantage of it. I'm happy for him, because he deserves it."

The Warriors (31-21) had split their past 16 games - a stretch that included consecutive victories only twice - but they milked Speights and feasted on the 76ers (15-38), who have lost seven straight games, including a 45-point drubbing by the Clippers on Sunday night.

Stephen Curry had 23 points on 6-for-9 three-point shooting, eight assists, five rebounds and seven turnovers in 27 minutes. In his return from shoulder and hip injuries, Lee posted 13 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes.

Philadelphia's losses on back-to-back nights by a combined 88 points represent the NBA's third-largest margin of defeat in consecutive games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The 76ers are the only team in league history to lose by at least 40 points on back-to-back nights, also having done it in April 1994.

But no outrageous statistic could upstage Speights. With 10 1/2 minutes remaining, Speights had set his career high in points. With 9:41 on the clock, he had set his career high in field goals.

With 8:11 minutes left, he had set what must have been a career high when he prompted his third "MVP" chant of the game.

"That was so funny," Speights said. "I started laughing, but at least they still have trust in me. That's always good to have fans on your side."